NEWS

Stay up to Date

December Visa Bulletin update: Dates for Filing chart to be used for employment-based applicants

14 Nov 18

UNITED STATES

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hasannouncedthat in December it will follow the State Department’s Dates for Filing chart, as published in the December Visa Bulletin, to determine whether applicants are eligible to file for adjustment of status.

Application Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Preference Cases:

Preference

China

El Salvador Guatemala Honduras

India

Mexico

Philippines

All Other Countries

EB-1

Oct. 1, 2017

June 1, 2018

Oct. 1, 2017

June 1, 2018

June 1, 2018

June 1, 2018

EB-2

Sept. 8, 2015

Current

May 22, 2009

Current

Current

Current

EB-3

Dec. 1, 2015

Current

Jan. 1, 2010

Current

Aug. 1, 2017

Current

Family-based immigrants will also use the Dates for Filing chart applicable to family-sponsored immigrants, which was also published in the December Visa Bulletin.

BAL Analysis: December will mark the third straight month in which USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart. This is good news for a number of employment-based immigrants, as the Dates for Filing chart contains more progressive cutoff dates than the Final Action Dates chart, especially in EB-1 categories.